Three Tubes and a Butterfly
by krissyg927
Summary: This was supposed to be a Daryl/OFC one shot, but it got out of hand. It will probably be a few chapters long. Daryl's father needs a home care nurse. Her name is Molly and she's more than he ever expected.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: So I got this idea for a one shot Daryl/OC. And it got a little out of hand. Hope you enjoy and Happy New Year.**_

Daryl waited in his father's room for the nurse to come in with the discharge instructions. His father had fallen at home and luckily hadn't done any severe damage to himself, but he was black and blue and sore. He was hospitalized for two days, because although her had no serious injuries, he did have a complication.

They found out while he was in the hospital that he had a condition called Atrial fibrillation and would need to go on medication.

Daryl had no idea about this medication Coumadin and he was worried. He had found some things online but he was confused. There were foods you were supposed to eat and some that were bad to have with this medication.

It could make you bleed too much if the level wasn't regulated and blood work would need to be done and Daryl was really worried about messing this up.

How was he going to get his father out to get blood work every day? He had so many questions.

His brother was away in the army so he was the only one around to help his father, not that he would ever complain. His father had done alright by him and Merle and he was glad to help him now. Daryl's mother had left then when he was four and Merle was ten, his father raised them as best he could and now both of his sons were successful.

It was just the three of them now, and Daryl was the only one currently available.

In reality he was a little worried, this fall wasn't a bad one but what if he fell again. Daryl had the winter to figure that out, his landscaping business was slower and he could spend time with Jacob.

It was cold January right now, and he hoped that this would work out by the time he had to go back to work in April.

His apartment was across town but he had essentially moved in now to Jacobs place for the winter. He signed the discharge papers where the nurse instructed him to and asked her what he should do. The nurse who's name tag read Linda explained that a visiting nurse would be calling that night to set up home care for Jacob.

So he took him home and made sure that he was comfortable in his favorite chair and then he went to fill his prescriptions and to the grocery store.

When he got home his father was asleep in the chair with the TV on. He smiled and shook his head, the light was flashing on the answering machine. His father didn't have a cell phone; which Daryl had been trying to change forever.

He pressed the button on the machine and listened to the message: "Hello Mr. Dixon this is Molly Jacobson the Nurse from Merida home care, I was calling to let you know I will be out tomorrow morning between eight and ten. Please fast because I need to draw blood. I will try to make you my first stop and then you can have your breakfast. If you need to have coffee in the morning, that's ok, just please don't use milk."

Daryl smiled, she had a sweet voice and she sounded young. His favorite band wrote a song about Molly's lips and he wondered what this Molly's lips were like. If she was anything like her voice Daryl might not mind the visiting nurse, even though Jacob was a little put out by the idea.

He hoped his father wouldn't be too freaked out about getting blood work done. They both hated needles, Daryl was not as bad as his father though, Jacob broke out in a cold sweat. One time he actually passed out before the nurse ever got any blood from him.

Molly with the sweet voice was going to have her work cut out for her.

He listened to the rest of her message which gave her phone number should they need to reach her, she sounded like a nice person and Daryl was glad. They had a few rough days and he knew his father was still not at his best.

Sleeping in the chair at two pm was not normal for him, he made a note to himself to ask Molly tomorrow about it.

/

Daryl opened the door to a short auburn haired woman in gray scrubs the next morning. She had a bag slung over her shoulder and a red biohazard bag on her arm as well. She had a pretty smile on her face which he wasn't used to at eight o'clock in the morning.

He guessed she was in her thirties like him, the town was small and he hadn't seen her around though, and if she came into the garden center her owned, he surly would have remembered her.

"Hi, Mr. Dixon?" She held out her hand. "I'm Molly."

He took her hand and shook it and then explained that yes he was Mr. Dixon, but not the Mr. Dixon she was looking for.

"Come in Molly and call me Daryl, please."

He held the door open for her and she walked inside. Jacob was sitting at the table drinking a cup of coffee.

Molly gave him a bright smile and walked over to the table.

"It's nice to meet you Mr. Dixon."

"Jacob." He said motioning for her to sit down at the table and Daryl took the other seat.

"How are you today? Glad to be home I bet." She asked as she took out a clip board and a pen to take some notes.

"Yes, glad to be home, not glad about this new medicine and all these needles." Jacob said gruffly.

"Oh, do you have questions about your medication, I can answer them for you, Daryl do you have any?"

"Yes." Daryl said. "The foods and everything about this Coumadin, I looked online but…." He said.

"I have some leaflets for you and I can tell you about the Coumadin, do you want to do the bloodwork first Jacob?"

She looked at Jacob and then at Daryl.

"He's afraid of needles."

"Am not, zip it Daryl."

Molly smiled and set out some paper work for Jacob to look at. She was used to this kind of exchange with family members, she recognized that Jacob was just scared from his fall and his son was trying to help.

His son with the dirty blonde hair and easy ways that made her rethink the ring on her finger.

Jacob put his glasses on and followed her finger down the paper. Daryl peered over at the paper too.

"Today we have to do fasting labs, that will probably just be today, we need a CBC, which is a complete blood count. For blood cells and things, totally routine. A Chem7, which is blood chemistry sodium, potassium, also routine. Just to check you out. And a PTINR, which is for the Coumadin level. Once I draw it…"

She looked over at Jacob and noticed he was sweating. Molly reached over and put her hand over his. Daryl noticed she wore a wedding ring, and that was a fucking shame. She was just his type, petite and dark haired, a real woman, with a real woman's body. He husband was a lucky man.

"Jacob, after today, it will be just one tube of blood a few times a week." She rubbed his hand and Daryl saw how gentle she was with his father; she was well suited to this work. "I can use a butterfly, a tiny, tiny needle and just three tubes today."

"See Dad, three tubes and a butterfly, easy peasy." Daryl said.

"Then you do it, kid." Jacob said and Daryl laughed.

"Oh, Jacob, this won't hurt, I promise." She smiled. "A little pinch is all."

Jacob nodded his head. Daryl watched as she expertly set about her work, but he also had to look away when she was doing the actual, blood draw, because he wasn't that brave.

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After she was done with the blood work and her teaching for the visit Daryl walked her to the door as she explained that she would drop the blood off at the lab and they result would be faxed to the doctor. The doctor would call him and let him know how much Coumadin to give to Jacob. She showed Daryl the different mg pills that they had from the pharmacy and how to break them to determine the dose.

She gave Daryl her cellphone number and told him to call her if he had any questions. Then he remembered his question from the day before about Jacob being so tired.

"He's sleeping a lot. Is that normal?" He asked.

"Well, for this week I wouldn't be too concerned, especially if this blood comes back good. It takes a little time after being in the hospital to get back to normal."

"He was so strong before, he used to come help at the store four days a week, now, I don't think he'd make a day." Daryl said with obvious concern in his voice.

"You own Dixon's, the lawn and Garden center." She said, imagining this man hoisting bags of mulch shirtless all of the sudden.

He nodded. "He and I do, and my brother when he's not in the service."

"it's all on you then?" She asked.

"For right now, I moved back in with him for now, don't really know what we'll do, if he can't get around or be alone all day. Come spring, I have to work."

"Mr. Dixon?"

"Daryl, please call me Daryl." He said.

"You have time, and you'd be surprised how far he will come. Try not to get to far ahead of things right now, and I know that's hard. Do you have any hobbies or something to do for yourself? It's important to take care of yourself too." She said.

He shrugged. "I guess I like to read."

She smiled brightly. "Who do you read, have you read Lord of the Rings?"

He was already nodding his head. "Yup I did."

"Do you like Stephen King?"

"I never read him, he's the scary dude right?"

"Yes. If you would like, I can bring you one of his books, it's my favorite book, it's called The Stand."

He was nodding already. "I'd like that."

"Ok, then, be prepared to love a new author." She said. "I'll see you tomorrow Daryl."

And with that she turned and said goodbye to Jacob, who was still sitting at the table in the kitchen. As she walked to her car she smiled that smile that she got when she really felt like she helped someone. She loved her job and days like this were the very reason Molly became a nurse.

It didn't hurt that Daryl reminded her of her favorite character in The Stand, Larry Underwood, the rock star. She walked down the steps humming to herself, Larry's song.

 _Baby can you dig your man?_

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In total, Molly spent two months visiting Jacob and by default Daryl, who was always there for her visits. All through January and February she came every day to draw blood sometimes and other times to just check vital signs, and do teaching.

Daryl read The Stand and they discussed it while she was showing him the right foods to cook and helping him figure out the doses of the medications.

He also read The Talisman and Under the Dome during those two months' courtesy of Molly and discussed them with her also. She would spend an hour a day with them, doing the blood work and assisting Jacob with a little bit of walking as he got stronger.

Daryl found himself looking forward to their talks about the world of Stephen King, and sometimes they talked about music and movies too, finding similarities there as well.

He would have asked to take her out in a heartbeat, but she was married.

She came every day, no matter what the weather and always with that smile on her face. Soon Jacob only needed blood work once a month because his Coumadin level was regulated. Molly had taught them all about the precautions with Coumadin, that Jacob had to be careful not to fall again, he could bleed internally and cause serious damage, because of Coumadin.

She taught them about how to stop bleeding from a cut if he got hurt and to use an electric razor. She reminded them to avoid green leafy vegetables, no more than two servings a week.

They were ready to do this alone now.

By March Jacob was no longer homebound and Molly's last day was March 5th. She said goodbye to them saying that even though she hated to say goodbye, she wasn't sad because it meant they didn't need her anymore. That meant she did her job.

Daryl was proficient in Jacobs care and medications and was thinking of moving back to his apartment. Jacob was going back to work with him in the spring and now had a medic alert system in his house, thanks to Molly.

If he fell or needed any kind of help at all he could push a button on a pendent around his neck and help would come.

Big gruff Jacob, who wanted no part of a visiting nurse not so long ago made Daryl go out and buy her a box of chocolates and gave them to her on her last day.

Both of them would miss her and she would miss them too, but there were other people to see and two more months went by like it was a day.

It was May 4th, Daryl's birthday actually, the day he was driving the work truck down the dirt road out by the old factory. It was a warm day and he had some Nirvana on, not Molly's Lips though, he didn't really like that song anymore. It was 'About a girl' playing and it was his birthday, thirty-seven today, whoopee.

He had just come from the library on his lunch break, even though he was the boss he never left for longer than an hour. If he was out on calls, they could all still reach him if they needed to.

He was coming down the road on a short cut or he wouldn't have seen her sitting there on the hood of that old green Jag she used to drive. She was dressed in her scrubs and leaning on her knees with her elbows looking so beautiful sitting there.

He pulled the truck in front of her so she would see the name on the side and not think he was some nit wit coming to scoop her up or something and she waved slowly.

She had been sitting out there and sweating for half an hour waiting for Tyreese to come tow her car.

Daryl waved as he got out of the truck and she jumped down off the hood of her car.

"Molly, what's going on?"

"Christine here decided she wasn't going to go anymore."

"You got a tow coming?"

"I called Axel's, he's sending Tyreese." She said leaning against the car. "Been waiting a hot minute though."

He laughed, Ty was not known for rushing that was for sure. He leaned against the car with her, they might be here a while and he wasn't leaving her out here alone

"You done seeing patients for the day?" He asked.

She nodded. "How's your Dad doing, Daryl?"

"Never been better, Molly, just like you said he'd be." Daryl answered. "Still can't thank you enough."

She put up her hand. "Told you, it was my extreme pleasure to help."

He nodded, that was what she always said whenever they tried to thank her, which was why Jacob insisted on the best box of chocolate from the best Candy Shoppe in town, run by Sasha and Bob Stokey.

"You got a ride, your husband coming to get you?"

"Husband?" She said with a question on her lips and on her face. Then she remembered, the ring she wore. "Oh, Daryl, I'm not married."

 _Well, Happy Birthday to me._

"Oh, I'm kind of embarrassed, it's a …"

"Work prop, I get it, ya going into strange houses, it helps if people think there's a mister to kick their ass if they get fresh, right."

She nodded. "That's exactly right."

"Worked on me. "He said looking around and rubbing the back of his neck because suddenly he was sweating and his hair was annoying the shit out of him.

Tyreese chose this time to make his entrance in the beat up old tow truck and soon he had Christine on the hook and Daryl was standing there with Molly as she talked to Ty.

Christine needed a new tranny it sounded like.

"You give her my discount, tell Axel to call me if her has any questions."

"No, I can't…"

Now he held his hand up to her. "It's my extreme pleasure."

"Ok. Fine Daryl. "Tyreese said. "You need a ride miss?"

"I'll take her." He looked over at Molly. "If that's ok with you?"

She nodded. "Can you drop me at the rental car place?"

"Sure, come on, Ty." He pointed to him as he opened the door for Molly. "You tell Axel what I said, ok?"

Tyreese nodded. "You got it." And he got in the tow truck and started it up.

Molly scooted into the truck and hit her hip on the pile of books and she smiled as Daryl was getting in. She picked up the book on top.

"A little light reading." She smiled holding up the copy "Song of Suzanna."

"I'm almost done with the dark tower series." He said starting up the truck.


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who gave me feedback on this in all forms, I love you all. Thank you for giving this little story a chance. xxoxo**_

Daryl didn't want it to end. He wanted more time with her but they were already at the car rental place. He drove as slowly as possible and they talked the whole time. Before he knew it they were there and she was starting to say goodbye. He didn't want to say good bye to her yet.

He needed to do something, but he didn't know what. He wasn't the type of guy to mack on every girl he met but he wasn't a virgin either, and she was different, very different from other girls.

But he had thought she was married all this time and didn't think there was any chance, maybe now there was a small chance.

He hoped so as he looked around desperate to start a conversation about _anything._

They sat in the truck in front of the car rental place and Daryl noticed a tattoo on her lower arm by her wrist. He hadn't seen that before. It was of a butterfly in flight and the words love in the tail wind. She always wore long sleeves and he figured that was a work prop too.

She didn't show her arms at work for a few reasons he figured, least of all because of the tattoo probably.

It was colorful and beautiful.

He had tattoos but not everyone was as accepting as he was. This girl was a mystery to him and he loved that. If she had one tattoo, chances were she had more and he wanted to find every one of them. He was lost in that thought for a moment, thoughts of touching her skin and being able to look at her filling his head and making him dizzy with longing. This wasn't the first time he thought about her, but he knew he had to speak before she got out. He could go home and jerk off later. Priorities.

Right now he had to step up his game before he was sent down to the minors.

"Nice ink." He said pointing at her wrist.

"Oh, thanks." She said smiling a little, he could tell that outside of work, she was shy and reserved. When she was being a nurse and helping people she spoke with knowledge and authority, in the nicest of ways. But outside of that realm, she was a little shy and it was adorable.

She pulled her sleeve up farther to reveal several other butterfly tattoos trailing up towards her shoulder as if they were flying up her arm. Daryl had never seen anything like that. They looked like they were going to take flight right off her arm, and so colorful.

"Those are beautiful."

"Thanks, I have more elsewhere." She grinned slowly, with a little bit of mischief there he noticed.

"So do I." He said rolling his eyes, he wanted to know where each one of those tattoos was in the worst way now. "Elsewhere."

He looked around the truck and the air was thick outside and making him sweat. He rolled the window down more because there was no air conditioning in the truck and he wished to God there was some.

He was dying, he wanted to talk to her all day long. He wanted to see the other tattoos, but he knew this needed to go slow. Somehow he knew already that a gift had just been dropped into his lap and he needed to be patient. Good things came to those who waited.

"Does it mean anything?" He asked, trying to draw her out. "Girl's ink usually means something. What are the butterflies to you?"

"Hm?" She said.

"The tattoo with the words, love?" He said. "You don't have to tell me, I'm just being nosy, trying to keep you from going so soon."

He grinned at her and she smiled back like she wasn't so shy after all. She turned towards him in the truck and tucked her leg under her very fine ass.

"It's for 'To write love on our arms' for my sister, for suicide prevention." Molly explained.

"She?" He asked, afraid to say it, but he could tell that what he thought was true. Molly had suffered a terrible loss.

Then she nodded. "Yes, she did. We were twins."

"I'm sorry Molly."

"She's with our parents, I believe that, it makes it better to think of it like that." She said nodding her head as if that would make her believe it. "It's an organization 'To write love on our arms' that I volunteer at now."

Of course she volunteered, she was perfect after all, in his eyes. Again he got lost in thoughts of her, he never thought he would see her again after his father was discharged from home care. He had to admit if he saw a Jag pass him on the road he always looked to see if it was her. It never was, until today.

"Christine was hers first, my sister Claudia left her to me, I know she's falling apart but I can't give her up, you know?"

"Don't worry about Christine, Axel is gonna fix the tranny and give me the bill."

"No, Daryl, I know that's expensive."

"And I can afford it, and furthermore, my father would kick my ass if I didn't help you." He said. "You want to cross my father."

She giggled. "No, I guess not."

"You have any brothers or…" He asked wanting to know more about her and wanting confirmation that she wasn't all alone in the world. "Cousins."

"Just me and a parrot that won't talk." She laughed. "His name is pretty boy and he's an asshole."

He laughed along with her, she was so different when she wasn't wearing her nurse hat, so to speak. He didn't think he had ever heard her say a bad word. His vocabulary was very colorful and would be shocking to her he was sure.

Maybe he could work on that, curb his language, if given the right motivation.

"And my two roommates Tara and Alisha, they're nurses too at the hospital on main street." She said. "Any way I don't want to take up any more of your time Daryl."

He couldn't blow this he needed to speak up, give himself a birthday present and go for it for once.

"I'm the boss Molly, I don't punch a clock."

"But."

"Do you want some ice cream?" He asked her pointing to the ice cream stand across the street. "I feel bad that I brought up your family and made you sad."

"I'm ok, Daryl." She said as she got out of the truck and he was walking around to her side. "You don't have to make up for me not having a brother."

"Oh believe me." He said walking closer to her, channeling every bit of bravery he could pull out of himself. "I don't want to be your brother."

She was still standing against the car when he got to her. He looked into her green eyes and tried to decide if this was a good idea and then she looked up at him.

Her eyes were bright and sparkling at him, the sun was behind her lighting her hair, making her more beautiful by the minute.

He was in deep shit.

Even if it was a bad idea he couldn't find a reason not to do this.

"You don't?" She asked.

"No." He said standing in front of her. "I don't."

And then he leaned down and kissed her softly. He wanted to touch her and kiss her more but they were in the middle of a parking lot.

"Come on, it's my birthday, I need some ice cream." He said taking her hand and she allowed him to.

"Ok, then, I'm buying."

"No you're not." He said as they crossed the highway and ran to the ice cream stand.

/

They sat together on a picnic table next to the ice cream stand eating their ice cream cones and talking into the afternoon. It was his thirty seventh birthday and she was turning thirty-five in June. She told him more about her roommates and he was telling her about Merle who was due home soon on leave.

They talked about the books he had read since she had seen him last. She asked him if he had seen 'Shawshank Redemption' since they had both read the story.

He hadn't, she had many times.

His cellphone rang for the fourth time and he showed her the screen. It was his father and he answered it this time.

"Hello, what? I'm late, really? No I'm having ice cream with Molly, yeah that Molly and I won't be back, I'm taking her back to my place."

He held the phone out so she could hear his father yelling "Don't you fucking dare Daryl."

"See ya in a few Dad."

And he hung up laughing and she was too. His father was pissed off.

"I know I probably shouldn't rile him up so much, but I couldn't resist. You're like his little princess." He said. "He likes you a lot."

"I like him too."

They were silent for a few beats, eating their ice cream.

"So are you?" She asked.

"Am I what?" He looked over at her and the expression on her face almost made him drop the rest of his ice cream. He sucked in his breath a little bit because her stare was going right through him. As if she could see into his soul.

"Taking me back to your place?" Her eyes were on fire and he wanted her so badly, he would have picked her up and carried her back to his apartment. But she was worth so much more than that.

She was giving him the opportunity, all he had to do was take it and he couldn't, not today. Even if it was his birthday. He wasn't fucking it up by moving too fast, not this time, not with _this girl._

So he shook his head. "Nope."

She actually looked disappointed. Then she reached into her pocket and took out a pen.

"That's a pity." She said taking his hand and writing her phone number on the palm of his hand, then she brought it to her lips and kissed his palm. "Call me."

She said and she got up to walk across the street to rent her car, leaving him dumbfounded and staring at his hand.


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: Thank you to everyone who is reading this. Enter at your own risk for the next few chapters, 18 and over please xoxoxoxoxxo**_

He called her that night and invited her over to watch 'The Shawshank Redemption' the next night and she said yes, to his utter amazement. But he didn't have a copy of it and he didn't want to seem like he was trying to get her to his house even though it was a little true. It was a lot true.

Two Walmart's and a Target later, Daryl had his own copy of 'The Shawshank Redemption' and he still felt like a dick.

He just never allowed himself to think of her that way, he thought she was married and therefore off limits with a capital NO. It was like finding The Holy Grail, and finding out it was single.

Exactly like that and he hadn't been on a date in a long time, well before his father got sick.

He went home and looked at his apartment, it was small but functional, and enough for him. He kept it clean but somehow he still felt the need to clean before she came over.

They were going to order pizza, watch 'Shawshank' and eat popcorn and it sounded like heaven to him, he hoped she was as into him as he was to her. She gave off that vibe at least, he was almost sure he wasn't reading her wrong.

She was so incredibly kind and sweet though, maybe she was just being nice. He cleaned up around the house thinking about her the entire time because he realized that he would see her in regular clothes. Until now he had only seen her in her loose fitting scrubs.

Even so, he could tell she had a banging body, curvy in all the right places with a heart shaped ass he was dying to sink his teeth into. Her shape was hour glass and he could not wait to see her without the scrubs.

Molly in street clothes, he was sure she would be a jeans and t-shirt type of girl, just his type.

He cleared out the debris in the living room and made sure the only couch he had was free of books and papers and anything else he let accumulate there. Thanks to her he had an impressive collection of Stephen King books, she had lit that fire for him and it burned brightly now.

He moved the books to the table behind the couch.

The kitchen and bathroom were clean, because he paid a local teenager to clean those areas for him once a week. He was a guy and some cleaning he just hated to do.

Next was the bedroom, should he be as presumptuous to clean in there and change the sheets? It was always better to be safe than sorry. Which is why there were now condoms in his nightstand drawer. He hadn't needed then for quite a while now, since his last girlfriend left ten months ago. But he bought some tonight, at the first Walmart, that didn't have the movie, just in case.

He picked up the clothes off the floor and put them in the hamper in the bathroom off his room. There was a laundry basket full of clean clothes that he shoved in the closet. By now he was working up a sweat stripping the bed and putting fresh sheets on it.

Finally, he finished that and had his room put together decent enough for company, if he was so lucky to have company. He looked around the room to make sure one final time, because if she ended up in here the lights were staying on.

He would want to see her.

Now he needed a shower, because he was sweaty and dirty and because he was a dirty motherfucker, thinking about getting her under him for the last ten minutes. He threw the old sheets into the hamper and pulled his shirt over his head then shucked off his jeans.

He walked over to the shower and was just about to turn the cold water on, because that's how this was going down now when his phone rang. He always answered his phone in case it was Merle, calling from some far off land where he was stationed at. So he went back into his room and grabbed it off the nightstand.

He looked on the screen, it was Molly and his heart sank because he knew she was probably cancelling.

"Hey." He said trying not to sound as disappointed as he was.

"Hey Daryl." She said brightly in to the phone and he was instantly grateful that she couldn't tell he was standing there in his boxers with half a hard on like a pervert.

"How's it going Molly." He asked, bracing himself for the letdown he knew was coming.

"Great, do you like iced tea?"

"What." He said looking down at his dick whispering, 'down boy' but as usual the traitor in his pants wasn't listening to him at all.

"Iced tea, or should I get Pepsi tomorrow, with the popcorn." She wasn't cancelling.

"Sure, iced tea is great." He said looking outside, it was seven o'clock, still light out. Maybe he could take her out on the bike tomorrow night before the movie.

He could almost hear her smile into the phone. "I make my own, with fresh lemons and lots of sugar."

"Sounds great." He continued looking out the window thinking about her arms around him on the bike and how great that would feel.

"How do you like it?" She asked and he did a double take. His dick twitched at her words. "Peppers ok?

He let out a breath, pizza, of course she was asking about pizza and silently berated himself for having such a dirty mind, now that she was on the market so to speak. It was like that was all he could think about.

He knew why she wore that ring at work, to keep guys like him away.

"No. I got the pizza Molly."

"No I want to, please?" She said. "You got the ice cream and it was your birthday."

"Nope, my party, I'm paying."

"I'm just going to bring it." Molly said. "What are you going to spank me?"

"What." He gulped and now he needed to make an adjustment with her on the phone, like a pervert. Her voice was making him hard as a rock and she had said it so innocently.

He knew she didn't mean it that way, but god damn.

"What?" She said now aware of what she had said and clearly embarrassed. He was going to let her off the hook.

"Don't bring pizza, I got it." He said. "Seriously."

They both wanted to get off the phone now, it was getting weird.

"Ok, still five o'clock?" Molly asked.

"Sure." He said. "See you then."

"Ok, bye Daryl."

"Bye." He dropped the phone on the bed and fell backwards onto the bed. "Oh Molly." He breathed out.

There was no stopping this now.

Daryl closed his eyes and pictured her, and this was something he never allowed himself to do before. But now he was going to think about her like that, because she didn't belong to someone else.

He wanted her so badly, it was like something uncontrollable was let loose inside of him yesterday after they talked. She was on his mind all the time and filling him up with desire.

He brushed his hair back from his face where it was stuck to his forehead and pictured her walking towards him in a red t-shirt and matching underwear.

The sweat was dripping down his neck from all the cleaning and the conversation they had just had, and the curtains blew as the wind came in the room cooling his skin which was on fire now.

Her hair was loose and hanging down her shoulders in waves and lifting slightly in the breeze. She was so beautiful.

Daryl reached in his boxers and freed his dick before it ripped out of the material, it was that bad. He had throbbing hard ons before, but this one was aching with need. He needed to come before he exploded from the insanity building inside of him.

He could almost feel her lips on his neck, hot and wet and her hair fluttering along his chest. He wasn't one to fantasize, usually he just got off and got the job done when he needed to but thinking about her added to it, made it bad, but so good.

Keeping his eyes closed he imagined his hands were hers on his body and he felt goose bumps break out all over his skin and the hairs raise off his neck. He arched his back up slightly and moaned softly as he tugged at his dick in a nice slow rhythm, which was just the way he liked it.

Starting to feel it intensely he let out a deeper groan from low in his chest. Now, finally getting some relief from the raging hard on he had for the last half hour, made so much worse by such an innocent comment.

In his fantasy now she was far from innocent, she was licking her way down to his stomach with her lips and teeth, and his hips bucked off the bed as if she was really there.

He totally gave himself over to this feeling, not stopping himself from moving, from grinding his hips in circles with his hand on his cock and the other on his balls.

He licked his hand and went back to his dick, imagining her licking him and swirling her tongue around the head even if it was his thumb in reality, it was her wet mouth in his mind.

In his mind she was his porn star sucking his dick and running her hands all over him as his head moved back and forth and he groaned out loud, not even caring if any one heard.

It was building up now, he could feel the familiar pull through his spine, his head thrown back against the pillows, his eyes half rolled back in his head. He let out a desperate growl as he came like an explosion all over his stomach, with her name on his lips.


	4. Chapter 4

Four

Tara tossed a cracker into pretty boy's cage and watched as he ate it. She leaned in close and looked around for Molly. Pretty boy was a colorful parrot, who stayed in his cage and kicked seeds all over the place. The three girls loved him and he was spoiled rotten.

He refused to talk, and they knew he could because he had talked in the pet store. But once Molly brought him home, he clammed up. That was six months ago and Tara said she wouldn't give up until the little bastard talked.

Molly was still in the shower, prettying herself up for her date. Tara knew Daryl and told her he was an ok guy when Molly divulged who she was seeing that night. They had gone all through school together, Tara, Merle, Daryl and a bunch of others.

Molly wasn't from here, but she and Tara met in nursing school along with Alisha. When Molly's twin died, she needed to get out of Atlanta, so she called her friends, got a job and the rest was history. They had been roommates for two years now and the best of friends.

She had a new life, even if she sometimes wished for the old one back, for her sister to be there. Molly most definitely had absent twin syndrome. She missed Claudia like a person would miss breathing and losing her had been the worst thing to ever happen to Molly.

Tara dangled another cracker through the slots in Pretty Boy's cage.

"Say motherfucker, pretty boy, say fuck you." She laughed as Molly came out of the bathroom. "Come on pretty boy. Douchebag."

"He's never going to talk." Molly said coming into the room drying her hair with a towel.

"Say blow me pretty boy, pretty, pretty boy, blow me." Tara looked up at Molly. "You have that hot date tonight, should we wait up."

"How do I look first?" She asked twirling around in a simple red tank top and faded jeans.

"You look hot as fuck, so are you putting out on the first date or what?" Tara said laughing.

"I tried to put out yesterday after an ice cream cone but he wasn't having it." Molly laughed.

"Maybe he doesn't put out on the first date. I'm not waiting up; I think it's going down tonight." Tara laughed as Molly tried to hit her leg, from where she was sitting on the couch.

"You are too much. "Molly shook her head. "I hope; I'm not coming home tonight."

"Cleaning out the cobwebs are you?" Tara grinned. "Did you shave your legs for Daryl Dixon my friend?"

Molly looked down and blushed, of course she had.

"Hey I don't blame you, he's a smoke show for sure. Not my wheelhouse though, but you know I can appreciate his shoulders as much as the next guy." Tara said as Molly came over with a bottle of nail polish to paint her toenails. "Toes too, this is serious."

Molly blushed even more, she had noticed him and his shoulders and his arms and his ass. She had noticed a long time ago.

It would have been inappropriate to flirt with him while his father was on service. He was right, that was why she wore the fake wedding ring. To remind her, nurse right now, you are not a woman in this situation. To keep unwanted attention from herself too. His attention would not be unwanted, but he thought she was married.

But then he happened by when she was stuck on the road like a knight in an old pickup truck. She had meant to go to the garden center one day, to bump into him by accident, somehow let him know that she only wore the ring for work.

She never told Tara that she took care of his father, that was a violation of a patients right to privacy and HIPPA. So she never asked her if she knew him and then she got busy with work again and things took her mind off the nice man she had met.

It had worked out well just the same and when she told her who she had a date with Tara had said she knew him, for a long time.

"Tara!" Molly exclaimed as she sat down to do her toes, she did a couple of them and then she looked up at Tara. "So what's he like if you know him?"

"He's a good guy, doesn't whore around takes care of his father, you know, the perfect guy." Tara shrugged. "We went to high school and grammar school together."

"Tell me more." Molly said as she was doing her toes a bright purple color.

"Hmmm, we didn't run in the same circles really, he was quiet, not like Merle, his brother Merle is loud and proud and a fucking hell of a good guy."

Molly nodded and ran her fingers through her damp hair and scrunched it into waves to dry naturally. She had an hour and a half till she was due at Daryl's and he had texted her his address earlier that day.

"He's in the Army right now, Daryl's brother Merle, back in high school sometimes I got shit. This town was not always so progressive." Tara explained as Molly worked on her toes. "So I was working in this janky gas station senior year and some asshole at the gas pump called me a dyke."

"Shit." Molly said secretly happy that she didn't grow up here. In this day and age that word did not belong on anyone's lips.

"Merle and Daryl were getting gas too in the bikes I think and I knew them both but I didn't expect Merle to walk over to the guy and punched him right in the face and told him to apologize to me, which he did. Then Merle told him if he said anything to me ever again he and Daryl would fuck him up."

"Wow." Molly said. "That's some hero, huh?"

Tara nodded. "They're good people."

Molly has already known that really, by the way Daryl had cared for his father. He showed kindness at all times, even when his father was uncooperative. She saw his patience and kind spirit and that had been so attractive to her.

"So you go have a good time tonight, as soon as Alisha gets up we're going for Mexican and to the mall if we have time."

Molly nodded. "You have fun tonight too; I'll text you if I'm not coming home."

Tara looked over at her and grinned. "Oh, you're not coming home."

/

Daryl stood at the window in his apartment that looked out into the parking lot. He was drying his hair with a towel and looking for her. Just like a teenager going on his first date he thought to himself as he shook his head.

He started to walk away from the window and then he saw the red mustang she rented come barreling around the corner and into the parking lot. She was still a lead foot, his father always joked when she was his nurse. "Here comes Mario." He'd say comparing her to Mario Andretti. Sometimes he called her "A damn vampire." To her face, when she was drawing his blood and she would say. "Oh, Jacob." And pat his hand.

Daryl would be thinking about her biting him by that point and then shutting it all down because she was a married woman.

Well, he knew better now.

He had kissed her for the first time yesterday and he felt it. It was going to be the last first kiss of his life, he just knew somehow.

She was the one for him and he smiled watching her get out of the car with a grocery bag in one hand and a pizza box in the other.

She didn't listen good and he loved that.

He opened his front door as she was coming up the outside stairs and folded his arms across his chest. He watched her in the red tank top and faded jeans coming towards him.

She had more tattoo's there was one peeking out from under the shirt, a chest piece he was sure. More butterflies on her shoulder and a cross on her other forearm that had seen the day before.

"You brought the pizza anyway." He said trying to sound annoyed and failing miserably because in reality, a woman who did the exact opposite of what he told her was hot.

Most girls kissed his ass because they thought he had money or wanted him only for what he could buy them. Which was why he didn't date much.

"Yup." She grinned at him and handed him the pizza box. He held the door open for her and she walked into his apartment. There was a flower tattoo on her back that peeked out from the top of her shirt. He would memorize all of them, if she would let him.

He sat the pizza on the Livingroom table and she put the bag down there too and turned to him.

"You're a pain in my ass Molly." He said with a laugh.

"What are you going to do about it." She asked and his gaze was upon her so burning hot she could feel it on her skin.

She smiled wide at him and he felt the challenge in her voice. They stood opposite each other for a beat and his eyes zeroed in on her lips, they were full and red like her shirt.

Very similar to his fantasy about her the night before and because of all of that he could feel the blood pounding in his ears as his heart rate increased.

"Hmm?" She said biting her lower lip.

"Jesus, Molly."

He reached out to her and she was in his arms in seconds and he kissed her the way he wanted to kiss her the day before. She was in his arms and his kisses were so hot she moaned out loud. Which only drove him on to go further.

Then he realized he might be overwhelming her, even though she was kissing him back with a fever, sliding her lips and tongue to match his in an almost obscene way.

He stopped and brought his hands up to her face as she ran her hands over his chest his chest was as hard as she had imagined.

"I'm sorry." He started to say. "I…you're just so…"

She kissed him this time and it was so fucking dirty his dick almost exploded and he was sure she could feel it against her thigh.

She bit his bottom lip and looked up at him through her eyelashes. "We can watch the movie later, right?"

He hadn't recovered from her teeth on him but he squeaked out the words he needed to. "You sure?"

"I'm sure."


	5. Chapter 5

He clicked on the iPod dock as they came through his bedroom door and turned the lights on. She didn't say a word. He had half expected her to ask him to shut them off, she wouldn't be the first one to ask. He would have shut them if she didn't want them on, but god damn he was glad she didn't say anything. He wanted to see her and already he was floored beyond words.

April 29, 1992 by Sublime came on half way through, because he had been listening to it that morning when he got up. He had been thinking about her then, wondering if this was going to happen. Hoping it was going to happen.

It was happening alright and faster than he had thought. He had been worried that she wasn't into him and now he knew for sure she was. She was more than clear about how she felt. He knew it by every touch and every sigh. If he had any doubt the proof was on her face and in his living room. She was into him enough to leave a perfectly good Lennie's pizza in the living room to get cold.

Lennie's was the food of the gods in this town and everyone knew it.

It was on.

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her the way he had kissed her all down the hallway, with his whole body. He was a physical person, when he kissed someone or hugged them, it was with everything he had inside himself.

His every emotion and feeling went into his contact with her.

Daryl still couldn't believe Molly was in his room. Yesterday he hadn't seen her in months and he had almost forgotten about her. Sometimes he would be driving down the road and see a Jag and wonder if it was her, but it never was. Once he saw a visiting nurse, with the red biohazard bag walking up the driveway of a house next to the one he was delivering mulch to. He was just about to wave with the biggest smile on his face, but then he realized it wasn't her.

Now it was her, she wasn't married and she was about to get in his bed.

He had won some kind of cosmic lottery.

She smiled as he was kissing her, winding her arms around him. Molly was just as physical as he was, pulling him closer and closer to her and he never felt so wanted in his entire life. She brought her lips to his ear and she whispered, "love this song." Softly, her hot breath on his skin. And those were the last words between them, because they were lost in the music and each other now.

She pulled off the hoodie she was wearing as he smiled at her like the wolf might have smiled at little red riding hood. He could devour her, and he would, the slower the better.

With the lights on.

They were standing opposite each other, watching, their eyes locked on each other. The words to the song the only sound now.

"Let it burn, wanna let it burn, wanna let it burn, wanna, wanna, let it burn, I feel insane."

She smiled back at him, that devilish grin he had seen on her a few times, since he had met her. It was the grin that said 'I'm up to no good and you're going to love it' as she grabbed the hem of her shirt.

He walked her backwards as they both pulled off their shirts and dropped them on the floor. He stopped and ran his hands through her hair the way he dreamed of. Her hair was down, not up in the sloppy bun or ponytail she wore it in for work.

Her hair was soft and smelled like lemongrass, he'd had a whiff of it before and wanted more. It was almost down to her ass in soft curls and he loved seeing it like this the first time.

Daryl studied her, committing her to memory, how she looked and smelled. He wanted to remember the song that was playing and everything about this moment and the moments to come. He would remember it for the rest of his life.

He pulled her face close to his and kissed her, slowly running his tongue along her lips and into her mouth. No one had ever tasted so delicious as she did, and he moaned like a bitch. Merle would never let him live it down if he knew.

'Riots in the streets of Miami, let it burn."

They both toed off their shoes as they made it to the bed his arms were around her again kissing her like he couldn't get enough of her. His fingers in her hair, just like he had been thinking about since yesterday.

"Whoa, riots on the streets of Chicago. On the streets of Long Beach."

He kissed down her neck, hot and wet over her breasts going lower until he was on his knees. Daryl was kissing her stomach and running his tongue over her skin, while his hands went to the button on her pants. Her skin tasted salty and sweet at the same time and he wanted to taste every part of her.

He kissed and licked her stomach around the three little butterfly tattoos at her belly button and ran his hands over the words she had tattooed on each side her ribs, it looked like a poem, he'd read it later. He would study each inch of her in great detail some parts now and some later.

His fingers found their way around the back of her pants and inside to feel the lace of her underwear until she was pulling him back up to her.

Molly grabbed for the buckle of his pants and his hands met hers there and unzipped his pants. She ran her hands over the bulge in his pants and sucked in a breath because he was big. It had been a while for her and she grinned thinking it might hurt in the best possible way.

She quirked an eyebrow of approval at him.

She was a dream come true to him, the way she flirted with him and stirred him up and set his blood to boil in his veins. He did the same to her almost like they fed off of each other.

Turnabout was fair play and she was diving him crazy with her hands on him. It was time to return the favor. His hands ventured up her stomach to her breasts and his eyes almost rolled to the back of his head, because she felt so good under his hands.

So much for driving her crazy, because he was even more riled up now.

She was soft and perfect and everything he wanted. He wanted to do everything he could to make her feel good.

"In San Francisco, I feel insane, riots on the streets of Kansas City."

Daryl pulled his belt out and dropped it on the floor behind him, hearing it clank on the floor. He stared at her again and her eyes went down to his hips where his pants hung obscenely low now. This time it was he who quirked an eyebrow, gave her a smile and pulled her close for a kiss. Her hands went up his back and he almost trembled like this was his first time, which it was not.

Molly wasn't touching his dick at all, yet he had chills like she was, and they traveled all through his body making him shudder.

Her hands on him made him feel something he had never felt before and he didn't know what it was. It was moving too fast though for him to put a name on it.

"Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Cleveland, Ohio, Burn."

She got her pants off and he followed until they were both standing there in their underwear. He liked what he saw and he also liked that she had no problem letting him see her.

The lights were on and he could see every wonderful curve of her body just like he wanted to.

Daryl touched the soft flair of her hip and spread his fingers out, squeezing lightly and looking down at her. Their foreheads close to each other, and another kiss. The butterfly tattoos went up her left arm, over her chest and to her back where they were met with flowers and hummingbirds. There was another poem midway past her shoulder blade.

The sequence of her ink was amazing to him and later he would look at them closer, he couldn't right now, there were too many other things on his mind. She had more ink than he did and he couldn't wait to read her.

All he could think of now though, was her luscious body.

He loved that she wasn't bony and she was shaped like a woman not a girl. He ran his hands over her arms up and down feeling the goose bumps that were there.

"Fountain Valley, I feel insane, Paramount, Vista Buelle."

She reached behind her and unhooked her bra and he took her in for the first time. She was better than he imagined the night before stroking his dick.

Her skin was creamier, her breasts full and round and he ached to touch them. No woman had ever just shucked her clothes off in front of him like that before.

"Eugene, Oregon, Eureka California, let it burn, let it burn. Wanna let it burn wanna wanna let it burn. I feel insane, won't you let it burn. Let it burn."

She sat down on the bed and then he crawled over her, leaning down to kiss her. Then they were laying down and he asked her if she was ok. She was more than ok, the weight of him felt so good. He moved until he was on top of her with one leg between her legs and his lips at her throat going lower. Her hands were in his hair, her fingertips on his scalp sending chills down his spine.

"Let it burn, let it burn."

She surprised him by rolling them over so that she was on top of him. She looked down at him, her hands on his chest as she settled herself on top of him. His hands went up to her hips with a mind of their own and she moved against him. He could feel her through his boxers and it was way too much.

He had to stop this before it was all over, because it felt too good.

She leaned down to kiss him and ground herself against him at the same time. The friction was so intense that he pulled her down against him bringing his hands on her ass to slow her down. The music continued on the iPod, 'Pretty Noose' by Soundgarden was on now.

He rolled her back so they were side by side facing each other and he pushed a stray lock of her hair out of her face and behind her ear.

"You are so fucking beautiful." He said running his hand over her breast feeling her nipple harden under his palm, which he moved in little circles and kissed her again.

Molly responded to his touch like no one he had ever known or been with before. The sounds that she made and the way her body moved had him stirred up in every way, both physically and emotionally.

She moved closer to him until they were flush up against each other and skin to skin. He slid one of his legs against her and between her legs. The heat radiating from her and onto his leg made his dick ache and he could feel it leaking already.

She was right against him and he knew she could feel it. She started rubbing against him and he heard her breath picking up as his fingers ghosted across her nipple. He dipped his head down to the other one and licked and sucked keeping his fingers where they were.

Then painfully slow he licked her and then blew hot air against her skin and she arched her back up. She was sure he was trying to kill her.

The two different sensations were making Molly see stars already and she threw her head back letting out a long sigh. He hips were moving against him and she reached down between them, across his stomach which made every part of him tremble. She sucked on his neck at his collar bone and took his dick in her hand.

It was his turn to moan now, the feel of her small hands on him and her lips on his neck was better than any fantasy. She was going to leave a mark and he couldn't give a shit right now because the way she was touching him and sucking on his neck made him harder than he had ever felt before.

"Fuck, Molly, oh fuck." He said his eyes closing involuntarily, but he wanted to see her. He opened his eyes and looked at her as she was running her hand over him and her thumb glided over the head. "Fuck. Me."

He rolled so she was on her back and kissed down her neck as his hand slid down to her underwear. She loosened her grip on him as she felt his fingers over her underwear and they were soaked. She let out the softest sigh and it hit him right in the balls.

She wanted more and so did he, Daryl wanted it all.

He pushed her legs apart gently and she reached behind her to grip the spindles of the headboard.

'That's so good baby." He whispered in her ear and then he was pushing the lace aside to touch her and groaned at how wet she was.

He knew just how to touch her, he was gentle and slow like she was a precious thing. He wasn't in a hurry and he wasn't rough. He knew his way around a women's body which was a relief after all of the inept lover's she had before.

This was going to be easy.

"I'm gonna." She said pulling him to her for a kiss while his fingers slid against her. "It's been a long time." She gasped out moving her legs apart and rocking her hips into his hand trying to put out the fire inside of her.

"Me too, a really long time, It's ok…let it go. I know you're there." He whispered to her moving his fingers against her and then inside her. She gripped the head board and her hips went off the bed it felt so good.

"Oh, my God, oh my God, Daryl." She screamed as his thumb made circles around her clit and his fingers moved in and out of her. "Oh my God, oh God oh God."

Then she just screamed as her whole body tensed and she let go. Her breathing was ragged and coming out in little puffs as her body came back to earth and then finally went limp after the best orgasm of her life.

He kissed the side of her breast and whispered. "Good girl."

Then he was up on his knees and looking down at her as he pulled her underwear down over her hips.

"I gotta taste you, Molly, please." He pleaded.

She was still catching her breath and she could only just nodded at him. Before she knew it he had her underwear off of her and he was between her legs, running his hands over her thighs.

Molly would always remember the look on his face as he sunk down and licked her with the flat of his tongue with just enough pressure. He looked like he wanted it so much and the desire in his eyes made her heart skip.

She was used to this being a bargaining point in other relationships.

They didn't want to do it but sometimes they would if you did something for them.

Not Daryl, he was pulling her legs over his shoulders, gripping her thighs and groaning like she was the most delicious dessert in the world.

Now he showed her what a demon he was. He hummed 'Pretty noose" against her flesh and her legs started to shake.

He released her finally and grinned up to her.

"Ready?" He said slipping his boxers off

She nodded and he reached into the nightstand grabbing a condom that he had put in there the night before. The bed dipped when he moved around and he looked down at her as he ripped it open with his teeth.

Molly watched as he slid it down over himself with lust hooded eyes. He looked back at her with the same eyes.

"Last chance to back out Molly." He said.

She just shook her head and mumbled. "Uh, uh."

Then she felt his weight on her again and his dick against her and it felt so fucking good. She wanted him inside her right now, and she reached down between them to stop the teasing motion he had been doing to her.

"Now." She said, guiding him towards her.

She was warm and wet and tight around him and he could tell it had been a long time for her too. She felt like heaven around him, but he was careful not to go too fast and hurt her.

"Oh fuck me." Daryl groaned when he was finally inside of her all the way. "Sorry for cursing, I'm trying not to."

"Don't you fucking dare." Molly said running her nails across his back.

"Oh Jesus." He kissed her and brought his lips to her neck." This aint gonna last long you keep talking like that."

She wrapped her legs around his hips and hung on as they moved. She met his hips thrust for thrust in a rhythm that was driving them both into oblivion.

"Yes, fuck me harder." She cried unwrapping her legs form him. "Yes."

"You got a fuckin dirty mouth." He kissed her again. "I love it."

She pushed herself harder against him, seeking relief from the fire that burned inside of her. "Harder, harder, please."

"God dammit." He could feel her starting to contract around him. "Fuck, oh fuck."

"More, oh god more." She screamed. "Yes.'

He felt her coming around him and all over him and it was way too intense. It was too much for him, seeing her yesterday after so long and the instant attraction that was let loose. The banter that they shared between them and the fact that she was even here was making his head spin.

"Harder." Molly grabbed his hair and pulled him to her for a kiss, their eyes meeting in the swirl of emotion between them. "Give it to me."

"Oh god baby, do it come on me, come on me." He kissed down her neck and pushed against her hard like she wanted.

She suddenly let go of his hair and threw her head back against the pillows screaming. Everything inside him let loose after that and he growled out a string of curses as he exploded in a tidal wave of intensity. He shuddered through it and for a minute after wards then he felt her eyes on him.

He looked down at her and kissed her forehead. "Hey."

"Hey" She smiled, bringing her hands up through his hair, he did the same and pushed her hair off her face. They stayed like that a little while until Daryl's stomach growled.

"Pizza?" He said rolling over to let sit up and she was nodding her head as he stood up and pulled on his boxers. She reached for her shirt.

"Stay, I'll get it." He said and he was out the door, returning in less than five minutes with the cold pizza and the pitcher of iced tea she had made.

 _ **A/N: Thanks for reading, thoughts? Let me know.**_


	6. Chapter 6

/

Six

Soundgarden was on again, 'The Day I Tried to Live', Molly figured he was a big Sublime and Soundgarden fan. She liked them too and all that grunge music from back in the day. That was why she had satellite radio in that old Jag so she could listen to it while she was working. It made the work day go by quicker to have her tunes.

Sometimes she needed it, to cheer her up. Not all of her patients recovered, that was a fact of life and Molly felt it intensely. She had the heart of a nurse, and it got broken on a daily basis sometimes. Life was not always fair, sometimes all your best efforts did not yield a good outcome for people.

Molly knew that all she could do is her best for the people in her care. Some days it wasn't enough and on those days she needed her music the most.

The station was called Lithium and she had it on 24/7, there was even a dock in her house. Pretty Boy went berserk whenever Tool came on, he flapped his wings and would crawl up the cage. But he wouldn't talk, she even sang '46 and 2' to him and nothing, the little bastard.

She loved that bird though, even if he was a dick about talking. Maybe one day he would.

Music was her happy place. Claudia wrote poetry and sang in a band and many nights Molly was front row to watch her sister sing. They were a popular local band for a few years in Atlanta, on the club scene.

They were good and very close to getting a contract with a record label, but then Claudia died and the band broke up. Molly hadn't heard from Claudia's band mates in a long time.

Both of them loved music and even though Claudia was gone, music would always make Molly happy. But it would also always remind her of finding Claudia dead from a drug overdose.

It was a double edged sward for her. Claudia sang folk music and Molly still couldn't listen to that genre.

The tattoos on her told the whole story of her life and her sister's life practically and she knew he was curious about them. He'd had his lips and fingers on them and she knew he wanted to know.

But it made her think of her sister, the tattoos, and that was the point of them. She wanted to remember always, but it was bittersweet.

Molly pushed thoughts of Claudia away for now. She wanted to stay in this day and enjoy this new thing in her life.

She wasn't going to overthink it, not this time.

Molly was content sitting there listening to the music and she was kind of blown away by that. She was blown away by this whole thing. Normally she would be pacing and trying to figure out how to get out. But he suited her somehow, like no one else before him.

They were musically well suited and sexually well suited, which was a fucking miracle for her. He said he hadn't been with a lot of women but he knew his way around a woman's body, and he knew his way around her body. They also both really loved pizza, warm or cold.

The had finished the pizza and she was laying on the bed on her stomach watching him. This was usually when things got awkward for her. More than once she had snuck out of a guy's apartment rather than face them the next day or in this case the same night. She might have made a few guys doubt their talent in the sack, but some was well deserved anyway. Sex was always a big fat zero for her, but not this time.

No one was like him.

She laid there watching him move the TV and now he was moving his DVD player into his room so that they could watch 'Shawshank' in bed and there was nowhere to run. She didn't even know if she would run if she had the chance.

She reminded herself that she wanted this. But it had happened so fast and now her stomach was doing flip flops and it wasn't from the pizza.

For all the confidence she exuded at work, it was different one on one, in these kinds of situations. She dated infrequently and had sex even more infrequently, which was why her heart was pounding out of her chest now.

Tara had not been kidding with her cobweb comment, Molly hadn't slept with anyone since she lived in Atlanta, two years ago.

She already forgave herself because she practically attacked him. From the day before when they were having ice cream and until this moment he had consumed her thoughts. She never lusted after another person before in her life like this, at almost 36 she was baffled by her feelings and her behavior.

She never tore her clothes off in front of someone or tore their clothes off either.

Molly wanted to stay with him if he wanted her to, she had told Tara that was what she hoped for. She had said that before she slept with him and now that she _had?_ Well, she hadn't changed her mind, that was for sure.

She had been with three men her entire life and none of them could curl her toes with just one look.

 _Was this what love was?_

"My roommate knows you." She said and watched him stop what he was doing. When he moved the two demon tattoos on his back moved too, it was eerie. It was sexy and scary all at the same time to watch those tattoos.

He seemed reserved all of the sudden, as if there was a reason he would worry about someone knowing him.

There had to be a reason for those tattoos, people that got ink most of the time got it for a reason. The choice of demons intrigued her. He had a demon on his back, probably two, she had them too, these days everyone had _something on their back real or imagined._

The tattoos were perfect for him because he was a demon too, he made her totally loose her shit in bed with him. That hadn't ever happened before, not like that.

"Who's your roommate." He asked and she noticed his shoulders tense and wondered if he was worried about who it might be.

"Tara Chambler." And she watched as his shoulders relaxed, he wasn't worried about Tara. But he was worried about someone or _something_.

"She's good people." He said turning around to her.

"She says the same about you, also she's a big fan of your brother. It was like she was fangirling over him."

Daryl turned around smiling and she laughed at her words about Tara but it had been true, Tara went on and on about what great guys they both were. So Molly was even more intrigued by the demons. There was something there.

"Yeah, he helped her out a time or two, how is she I haven't seen her much." He said.

"Well, she and her girlfriend work nights at Grady and we all live together with Pretty Boy."

'Lucky fucking bird." He said walking over to her and hopping on the bed next to her.

He took hold of her arm and looked at her butterflies and read the quote on her ribs "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things and no good thing ever dies."

"That's beautiful." He said quietly while running his fingers over the words. "I remember it from the story."

"It's for Claudia." She said. "All my quotes are from 'Shawshank' I've read it so many times and it's one of those movies you always watch if it's on TV. Every time it was on we watched it. It was our favorite. I love it and I hope you do too."

"The one on your back, the hummingbird, can I see?" He said. "If you want, I don't want to upset you, I know they're special to you."

"Special and a memorial to my sister." She saw his eyes grow soft and she knew what he was thinking, his brother was still alive. "Of course you can see, that's what tattoos are for, to show people right?"

Daryl nodded and he could tell she missed her sister desperately, but her wanted to know everything there was to know about her. She was so different than any other woman he had met before.

She decided to just open up for once and let another person know her if he wanted to. There was some kind of connection. She would tell him everything.

"Claudia had the butterflies on her right arm and I had them on my left, like mirror images."

"You were identical?"

Molly nodded and pulled her shirt up to show him her back, the hummingbird sat on her scapula and the quote next to it at its beak.

"Some birds aren't meant to be caged, their feathers are just too bright. And when they fly away, the parts of you that knows it was a sin to lock them up does rejoice. But still the place you live in is that much more drab and empty that they're gone."

He pulled her back against him gently so that she was sitting between his legs and wrapped his arms around her.

"Can you stay?" He said kissing the back of her head. "After the movie is over?"

Molly nodded her head and looked up at him. "I want to."

"Good." He said pulling her closer his lips in her hair and she heard him inhale and breathe her scent in. "I want you to."

They sat together and listened to the music not moving or talking, just getting used to being together.

The next song that came on was "Molly's Lips" by Nirvana and they both laughed.

"I swear I didn't plan that, but it's a great song." He said. "I'm a huge Nirvana fan.

"Me too." She said. "Claudia and her band used to sing this song, she played acoustic."

"I'm sorry, I'll turn it off." He reached for the remote to the stereo.

"No, no, its fine." She grabbed his hand. "I like it still."

/

They watched the whole movie with her sitting in his arms like that, he played with her hair and handed her iced tea when she asked for it. But he held her to his chest, between his legs with her back to him the whole time like he didn't want to let her go.

It felt good to be with her like this, it was comfortable and shocking to him. His last relationship ended before it even started and he supposed it was his fault.

He closed himself off to people, he knew that. His mother leaving him as a child did something to him and his ability to form bonds with people. He was only four and he needed his mother.

So he never let people get close, not emotionally anyway and not very often physically outside of fucking.

But he sat here playing with Molly's hair for two hours and twenty-two minutes during the movie. He wanted to, ever since he first met her he thought about her hair.

That was when he thought she was married. Now that he knew she wasn't, well, he was thrilled about that.

She didn't object and he thought she liked it. Somehow it was more intimate then fucking, to sit and hold someone.

This was what he never did and why girls and then women always cut him loose. He was not a cuddler and he definitely didn't twirl women's hair around his fingers.

Except for tonight and it felt natural. He remembered his father telling him that he shouldn't give up and that one day he would meet someone and it would feel right. This felt right.

He played with her hair, liked the same music as her and totally rocked her socks in every way. Almost too good to be true.

It was nice and scary and exciting all wrapped up into one. She could feel his heart beating against her and she knew he was feeling the same things.

It was almost eleven by the time the movie was over. It was her weekend off so she had nowhere to be early in the morning and Tara and Alisha were off too, so they could take care of Pretty Boy.

"That was one of the best movies I have ever seen." He said. 'Great adaption from the story."

"Told ya." She said grinning and looking back at him. He pulled her up to him for a sweet kiss but she didn't turn all the way around.

His hand was on her neck and he let it slide down under her shirt.

"This ok?" He asked her, but he didn't move his hand.

"Sure its ok." She spinned around to sit on his lap and face him. "I just have to say this."

She was smiling so he knew it wasn't anything to worry about. Usually when women said they had to say something to him it was 'We're done.'

She wasn't going to say that; he could tell by the sparkle in her eyes. They were green like emeralds and clear and beautiful.

"I regret not coming to the store, I really just forgot, work was busy and I guess I made excuses because I didn't know how to approach you because of the ring thing. But I would have been there two months ago." She said. "If I knew."

"Knew what?" He asked.

"If I knew." She grinned that grin again, the devilish one. "That you really, really know how to throw it down."

He wrapped his arms around her and maneuvered her so that she was under him and he was between her legs. She laughed and he realized that that was the most beautiful music he would ever hear.

"Sweetheart." He kissed her. "You have no idea."

 _ **A/N: Thank you for reading, Let me know what you think. I love you all xoxoxoxox.**_


	7. Chapter 7

"Tell me about the demons." Molly said as they laid sideways across the bed after he gave her a pretty clear idea of just how well he could throw it down. "If you want to."

It was late now, way past midnight and the breeze coming in the window was cool. There were sounds of night creatures outside and the room was bathed in moonlight. This apartment building was closer to the woods and hers was more in town. She liked the quiet of his place, they had even turned off the music.

The moonlight always came into his bedroom, but he never quite appreciated it as much as he did right at this moment.

It was enough so that they could see each other as they laid side by side. They had been like that a few minutes before he spoke.

He was laying on his stomach and the tattoos were visible, she reached over and touched them as she sat up. His back was strong, just like the rest of him. She could sit and look at him all night long. She never realized how mesmerizing a man's shoulders could be until she met him.

Tara was right, he was a smoke show.

"There's a demon on your back, maybe more than one, you can tell me about it, if you want." She said.

He nodded. "I want to, it's only fair. I asked you. Can I be honest? I want to tell you something first, before I spill my guts ok?"

"Yes of course, no judgement, ever ok?" She said earnestly, but she felt like he didn't believe her. "Seriously."

He nodded, he knew that. Something about her called out to him. Deep down he knew that she would understand him, and everything about his past. But that didn't mean she wouldn't walk out the door. And it didn't mean that he understood in his mind yet that her words were true.

"I understand why you wear the ring at work, but I asked about the tattoos because I was worried it had something to do with a guy, I didn't mean to stir the pot all up about your sister." He said. "I'm sorry about that, just one thing led to another. I only meant to ask about the ring, but they're so beautiful, not like mine."

"She's always on my mind Daryl, you didn't stir anything up." Molly said and she reached for his hand running her fingers over his knuckles softly. "And anything that's a part of you, is beautiful to me."

He didn't say a word, no one had ever said anything like that to him before. He had been closed off for so long, unable to form even the shakiest of bonds with another person. Merle and his father had always been the only people he could relate to.

He felt like he could relate to her, because of her sister, maybe, he didn't know and he didn't care. He was so relieved to feel something for someone finally. It didn't even matter if it wasn't like that for her, he knew he wasn't broken now.

 _He had always thought that he was. Why else would his mother have left if there wasn't something wrong with him. The inability to feel that started at the age of four and stayed for thirty- two years had convinced him that he was beyond repair. It was the desire to not feel that made him make the choices he did at times. It was easier not to feel._

 _It was familiar._

"I just wanted to know." He shrugged. "You know?"

She nodded. "It would have been a conflict of interest for me to come out and say I wasn't married while I was your dad's nurse. Also embarrassing, to tell the truth. And then I was going to go to the garden center and I was like, that's kind of stalkerish. So I just didn't do anything, I don't date much. Can you tell?"

"Me either." He said. "You know, and then the girl I wanted to date was married."

She laughed. "Now that I'm not Jacob's nurse I'll go out with you again."

"We haven't actually gone out yet." He said. "But I aint complaining."

He smiled at her and she noticed that when he smiled he had one dimple on his cheek. She hadn't noticed that before or maybe she hadn't ever been close enough. She leaned down and kissed his cheek right where the dimple was.

"She died from a heroin over dose." She me his eyes. "Is it drugs, the demon on your back."

He rolled over to face her, she was sitting up and he was laying on his side.

"My mother left us when I was four and Merle was five. Jake raised us all alone, and he did the best he could while building the business, but Merle and me, we gave him a run for his money."

"I imagine you did." She laughed and for a moment she wished she had grown up here. She met Tara when she was twenty-two, at college, it would have been great to know them all as kids.

To know him as a kid and as a teenager, that would have been something else. She imagined him to be a wild one and it would have been fun to know him then. She didn't care what he thought was so bad about him. There was nothing that could change her mind about him.

"So. I never told anyone this before. People know around here about it, but they see I guess that I'm different now. Still to tell you…" He started. "Was ashamed I guess."

"You don't have to." She replied, but he stopped her from saying any more. He wanted to tell her what had happened to him and why he got those specific tattoos. "Don't tell me, it's really ok."

He shook his head. He wanted to pursue something with her and if that was the case, she needed to know. He knew that living the honest life meant doing uncomfortable things sometimes, like spilling your guts to someone who's opinion mattered to you.

That was a first for him too.

"Even though dad always made us feel loved, it does something to you. To know your own mother don't want you." He said. "We were in counseling after, but I guess it didn't work for me."

She looked at him as he spoke, never taking her eyes from him. He was about to tell her something that no one else knew. It was a privilege and she needed to let him know that she saw it as just that.

"Daryl, I'm honored that you trust me with this, whatever it is, it won't make me think any less of you." She said. "You know that right?"

"I know that, because you inked yourself up too over your past, just like me." He said. "I wasn't always such an upstanding citizen. I don't blame anyone but myself, don't misunderstand me ok?"

She nodded, letting him know she completely understood him. He visibly relaxed.

" I did what I did and it was no one's fault but my own, I don't blame my mother or Jake or Merle or anyone."

He sat up and faced her and they both sat Indian style on the bed.

"I've been in jail." He said. "I had a little, no it wasn't little it was big. I had a big habit."

She raised her eyebrows. "Besides smoking." She said trying to lighten the mood, she had suspected as much. She had seen a man at a Narcotic's Anonymous meeting once with demon tattoos on his back, that man said they were called, crank and heroin.

She had been there to see Claudia to get her 90-day chip, again. Claudia never could seem to make it past a few months clean. She had been clean four months the day Molly found her four years ago. Her twin dead at thirty-one, and there had been a hole in her heart ever since.

"So, I stole, from everyone, my dad, my brother everyone. Then my buddy got this bright idea that we should rob houses." He said looking down with a smirk." Of course, we got caught and I ended up detoxing in jail. I've been out and clean ten years."

He looked at her now, trying to read her thoughts. He was sure she would leave now. He sister died from drugs, why in the world would she sign up for this.

Clean or using, there was a certain personality in an addict and he was well aware of his flaws. He had tried to make amends to anyone he needed to. But everyone in town knew Jake Dixon's son did five years.

He worked hard and most people noticed that but still, he felt haunted by it. Merle joined the service at twenty and was now an officer. He never gave Jake the trouble Daryl did.

"Is that why you were worried about who would know you, when I said my roommate knew you?" She asked.

"Yeah, I didn't know you noticed."

"I notice everything, it's kind of my job." She said. "Tara says you're good people and I like you a little bit so, this doesn't matter to me."

He nodded. "The demons are to remind me who I could become again, if I'm not careful."

"And the butterflies remind me of how precious life is, it can fly away from you, so you have to enjoy every moment."

/

They woke up at nine am. Molly hadn't slept that late in a long time, she was usually in bed by ten and up at six, even on days she didn't work. She had been in bed early the night before, but not alone and not in her bed.

The quilt covered them half way and Molly was laying on her stomach. Daryl on his side with his arm around her. He had woken her up around four am to make love again, but it was slow and sweet, not crazy like the night before.

Then they fell back asleep.

He could love her; he was sure of it. He didn't feel weird waking up with her, his arm was around her and he felt content. He reached over and pulled her close, she settled herself against him and sighed in her sleep.

He kissed the back of her neck and rubbed her stomach, pulling her back against him more. Today he wanted to take her out on the bike, maybe go to the old quarry. Then a nice dinner later, this was no casual fuck. It never had been.

Molly's phone was buzzing on the nightstand, and she knew it was Tara. She sent her a quick text the night before to let her know she was staying overnight at Daryl's which was met with a thumbs up sign back from Tara.

She snuggled up to him more and then reached for the phone.

"Hey, yeah, I'm fine, just slept late." She said as she sat up a little. "Very funny, sure I'll tell him, sure. See ya later."

Daryl sat up next to her leaning on one arm.

"Tara says hi."

"Tell her hi for me."

"You can, they're both home and if you want to go on the bike I need my boots, all I have are those sandals." She said turning to face him and sit up more.

"You been on a bike before? That's something a seasoned biker would say."

"My dad had one, a million years ago, he would never take us out unless we had boots and long sleeves on."

"Smart man." He said getting up and walking into the bathroom that was off the bedroom, she could hear him peeing and then running the water to wash his hands.

"You would have liked him; your dad is a lot like him." She called out to him, feeling melancholy for her family. She was all alone in the world, except for Tara and Alisha.

He walked out in his boxers, running his hand through his hair. "It's two miles to your place right, I'll follow you on the bike and we can get what you need?"

"Sure if you're hungry Tara said they're making pancakes." She asked.

"I'm on it." He replied.

/

Molly came busting in the front door of their ground level apartment with Daryl right behind her. She dropped her purse on the couch and kicked off her shoes. Daryl did the same with his shoes.

Tara and Alisha were in the kitchen and she could smell blueberry pancakes. The table in the small dining room off the living room was set for four. The smell of coffee was permeating the air.

Pretty boy was in his cage and he started flapping his wings when Molly came in and announced they were home. She walked over to his cage which was in the corner between the living room and dining room.

"Come on Daryl, come meet my best guy." She said taking his hand and leading him over to the cage. "This is pretty boy; the only parrot I have ever known who doesn't talk."

She leaned closer to the cage and picked up a cracker to offer to him.

"This is Daryl, my other best guy." She said putting the cracker into the cage and the brightly colored bird took it. "Pretty boy gives me something to worry about besides myself, isn't that right my sweet baby."

Tara came out of the kitchen with a huge plate of pancakes followed by Alisha who had two pitchers of juice, apple and orange.

"Hey Daryl, long time no see, this is Alisha, Lish this is Daryl, I told you about him and his brother, you remember right?"

Alisha nodded putting the juice pitchers down and shook his hand.

"Good to meet you." She said and he said likewise.

"Good to meet you." Daryl said. "Hay Tara, good to see you."

"Come on let's sit." Alisha said "We have a date with Eugene and Milton to go to Atlanta today, you want to come."

They sat down at the table and Molly turned to them. "We have a date with a bike and a lake."

"Next time." Daryl said.

"It's cool." Tara said. "How's Merle Daryl."

She passed him the plate and he took three pancakes for himself and put three on Molly's plate.

"Whoa there ace." Molly said. "I can't eat all that."

He replied by pouring syrup all over them. "I'm starving; bet you are too." Then he poured it all over his plate too. "Butter?"

Molly rolled her eyes at him. "Really?"

Daryl ignored her and put butter on his and offered it to her and she shook her head.

"He's Merle, you know. Stationed in Hawaii right now, last I talked to him he was learning to surf." Daryl said. "He should be getting retirement soon, but I'll believe it when I see it."

Tara laughed and smiled at that news. "Alisha tried to teach me to surf on vacation a few years ago, no Bueno."

"You all met in college?" Daryl asked.

Molly nodded. "Alisha was my roommate freshman year, then we met Tara in Anatomy class. Claudia was an English major so by sophomore year the four of us had a place off campus."

"Over that janky coffee place remember. The Ink Well remember?" Tara said. "Every Saturday night they had poetry readings and live music. There was no getting to sleep before two am."

"Hey, the price was right, you know." Alisha said passing cups of juice to each of them. "Just not conducive for nursing students. We didn't do a thing except study and go to class, rinse and repeat."

"It was a good time." Molly said.

She had been in college around the same time he went to jail. That fact wasn't lost on him and she saw it in his eyes, the flash of regret and shame.

"Stop." She whispered. And he stopped.

/

Tara and Alisha were on their way to Atlanta after breakfast and Daryl and Molly did the dishes. He looked around her apartment and it was cute. There was a book shelf in the living room with all of her books.

He stood there at the bookshelf looking as she called out from the bedroom that she was going to get her boots and a jacket.

He nodded and said. "Take your time."

He reached for one of the books and opened it. There was a big X on the page, he knew that she put and X in the books she wasn't crazy about. It was The Tommyknockers by Stephen King. She had told him about her book code back when she was taking care of Jake. He hadn't read it because she said it wasn't so good.

"Give me one more minute Daryl." Molly called out.

"It's fine sweetheart." He called back.

From the back of the room over by the window he heard the word "Douchebag." Come from Pretty Boy's cage.


	8. Chapter 8

Daryl didn't tell her about the bird cursing him out right away and Pretty Boy said 'Fuck off' to him too while Molly was in the bedroom. Daryl gave him the finger and then laughed at himself for giving a bird 'the bird.'

Molly came out and asked what was so funny and Daryl just shrugged. She had on a pair of biker boots, a pair of black jeans and a t-shirt, the boots were black with buckles on the sides and he sucked in his breath.

Was this the nurse in scrubs that took care of his father? She was looking hot as fuck right now, and was he the lucky bastard that got to take her out today. He watched her throwing some things from her purse into a back pack like a seasoned rider.

"No really, what's so funny." Molly said but he was still staring at her.

"Uh, your bird." He looked over at Pretty Boy in the cage. "Called me a douche bag, and said fuck off."

Molly turned and looked over at the bird in the cage and he flapped his wings at her. She turned back to Daryl with a huge grin on her face.

"I can't believe he talked." She walked over to the cage. "Pretty Boy say I love you Molly, say I love you Molly."

Daryl followed her to the cage as she kissed at Pretty Boy's beak.

She blew kisses at him and he just stared at her, she turned back at Daryl. "Either he really likes you, or he really hates you."

"Tara teach him that shit." He asked, already knowing the answer to the question.

Molly nodded. "Yup, I guess you really do know her."

"Well, I know you don't cuss like that." He said giving he that wicked grin he had and pulled her into a tight hug. Pretty Boy started to squawk and Molly started laughing. "Not in the living room anyway."

"Try me?"

He looked at her with a soft look in his eyes with his hands still on her arms. "Don't tempt me."

"I'm not fucking you in front of him." She laughed. "But your living room is an entirely different thing."

"Come on." He took her by the hand. "We got shit to do today, and then I'm taking you back to my place."

"You think?" She said backing up and he followed.

"I know." He said getting her right up against the wall and Pretty Boy started squawking and flapping his wings again. Daryl put his hands above her head and cocked one hip.

"Maybe, that's all you're getting from me." She said looking up at him.

"Oh, I'm getting more."

She nodded. "Yeah, you are."

He leaned over and kissed her and the bird squawked again. He smiled against her lips.

"Ok, you ready Molly." He said and she swatted at him. "I aint got all day."

"Yeah, I'm ready."

"Good, then, let's go." He said. "And we aint done here."

"No?" She said.

"No." He moved his hand between them. "This isn't done."

He grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the door. She stopped them at the door.

"Can I ask you something, just curious ok?"

"You already know how bi…."

"Oh for god's sake." She smiled. "It's not about your dick."

"Go ahead, ask away baby."

"So, I know you weren't shooting dope, cause you're afraid of needles." Molly said. "I'm guessing you smoked heroin."

"You're pretty smart.'

"I've had a lot of experience." She said. "My sister called it chasing the dragon."

He nodded because that was exactly right.

"Yeah, that's it alright."

"Claudia's sponsor had a dragon tattoo on the inside of her forearm, it was gorgeous. You know, because of smoking. She called herself 'The original girl with the dragon tattoo' but it was to remind herself, like you. Did you go to NA?"

"Every day in jail for five years, and then when I got out for a bunch of years, still go a few times a week."

"You sponsor anyone?"

"Two guys right now." He nodded. "Did you ever do drugs?"

"Kush, in high school."

"Did ya inhale?"

He wrapped his arms around her waist. Putting his forehead to hers.

"Maybe." She smiled at him. "I stopped you know, when I needed to, but she couldn't and it went…" She frowned. "So far."

"So." He took her hand. "Now that we've both exposed all our shit now, what do you say we go for a ride."

"Sounds great." She said. And he led her out the door, she called over her shoulder "Bye Pretty Boy"

The bird was silent, and behind his back Daryl flipped him off again.

/

They rode down the road on the bike and her arms were around his waist. She had her cheek on his back and her hands were on his hips. She had definitely been on the back of a bike before. When he stopped at traffic lights she ran her hands over his back and he reached back and touched her leg.

"Gotta stop by the store, you up for it?"

He yelled over the engine and she nodded her head. He turned right at the light and drove the three miles to the store.

They pulled into the parking lot and Jake's truck was there along with a few other cars. He stopped and hit the kickstand and Molly got off the bike. They hung their helmets on the handle bars and he turned to her.

"Jake is going to be glad to see you." He said, taking her hand. "You mind? I have to pick up the ledgers to do over the weekend. I was supposed to work today."

"Are you kidding me? Are you using me as a buffer?" She stopped short and he walked a few steps in front of her. "Are you kidding me."

"Nope, not even a little bit." He said. "Come on, I have to do the monthly books by Tuesday."

She crossed her arms over her chest and followed behind him as he walked into the store. It was a huge garden center with a store in the front, there were plants and flowers outside and a greenhouse next to the store.

A young boy was by the door moving bags of seed and her stood up as they walked in. "Oh man is he pissed at you." He said to Daryl.

Daryl looked around for Jake, not seeing him immediately. But he knew he was around.

"So pissed, no call no show." The boy named Zack said and then her saw Molly behind him and he stopped talking abruptly. "He said, he'd fire you if he could."

"He'll get over it." Daryl said grabbing for her hand, which she refused to give him.

"Hey there miss…." Zack started to say and she grabbed Daryl's hand.

From the other side of the store they heard Jake yelling. Molly looked over at Daryl and he shrugged.

"That my son, Zach?" Jake yelled. "Daryl you fucking …."

He came around the corner about to light into him and he saw Molly. He stopped short and looked at Daryl and then at Molly.

"Molly." He said. "How are you love?"

"I'm good Jake." She said going closer to give him a hug. "You look wonderful."

"Feel, great hun."

"I'm so glad." She said smiling. "You really look great."

Her smile was genuine, this was the kind of thing that made her happy, to see a patient well and happy. Jake was one of the success stories for the moment, but in her line of work she learned to live in the moment. It was all you had.

"You here with him, Molly?" He asked.

She nodded.

"Dad, leave her alone, I'm getting the ledger and you'll have it all done by Monday, I aint coming in tomorrow either." Daryl said. "Let Zach and Beth handle things, we don't have to be here every second. You need a day off too."

He looked over at Molly and then back at his father. She noticed how much alike they looked again, Daryl had the same color hair as Jake and they had the same eyes.

"I'm gonna go get the books, you be good old man."

He walked across the store and into the back office.

"Well, guess I don't have to fake that heart attack after all." Jake said.

Molly started laughing and Zach just looked confused. Then she remembered, he didn't know about the ring.

"I'm not married Jake."

She had forgotten and wanted to make sure that Jake knew she wasn't cheating on anyone.

"I knew that cookie." Jake replied. "You weren't fooling me with that fake ring."

"Jake." She said with a giggle and then Daryl was back holding a huge binder.

"Can you take this and shove it in your back pack and we'll ditch it at my house." He said as Molly was taking off her backpack.

"You took a weekend off, eh, Molly." Jake said.

"Yes." She said. "I did."

"Good." He turned to Daryl. "See you Monday, next time answer your fucking phone."

"I was busy."

He said as he opened the door for Molly. And they left after Molly kissed Jake's cheek and gave him the brightest smile.

After they left Jake turned to Zack. "Call your little girlie and tell he she's working tomorrow. I am taking the day off."

"Daryl have a new girl I guess." Zack said to Jake.

"And it's about fucking time too, I wasn't kidding, I was going to fake a heart attack to get that little girl back at my house, she wore that fake ring but that didn't stop my kid from eye fucking her every time she came to see me. It was fucking pitiful."

Zack laughed as he watched them walking out to the bike.


	9. Chapter 9

**_It's been a while since I could say that I wasn't addicted._**

 ** _And it's been a while since I could say I love myself as well._**

 ** _And it's been a while since I've gone and fucked things up just like I always do._**

 ** _And it's been a while, but all that shit seams to disappear when I'm with you. – It's Been a While- by Stained_**

##############

 **They rode the few miles back to his house and it was much like the ride to the store. Molly was holding onto him with both arms around his waist and occasionally rubbing his back when they stopped at traffic lights and slowed down enough.**

 **She reached her hands under his jacket to touch him like she had been doing it for years. It felt so good.**

 **He had a sissy bar and they both knew she didn't actually have to hold on to him. She could hold the back of the bar if she wanted to.**

 **It was the intimacy of It though, that took his breath away. He hadn't had a woman on the back of his bike in a long time. His last girlfriend had refused to ride.**

 **A few went on it to make him happy, he knew that. But they didn't like it.**

 **Molly liked it. He could tell because when they slowed down enough and she wasn't touching him she would hold her hands up in the air like she was flying.**

 **She had been on a bike before. Often too, and he wished he could see her face when her hands were up like that. In the rear view mirror he couldn't see all of her.**

 **Girls like her were rare indeed.**

 **When Molly had said yes to going on the bike and then acted like a biker girl with the boots and the backpack, he knew she wasn't like other girls.**

 **He was blown away once again by her. As if the night before hadn't already blown him away and made him want to be her slave.**

 **And again he thought. 'I could love her. I really could.' And he didn't think he would ever be able to love anyone.**

 **He was broken. By the drugs and prison, convinced he was destined to walk the earth alone.**

 **His mother had made him feel unlovable when she left and that feeling followed him his whole life and through every relationship he had ever had.**

 **Somehow now he had hope for healing. Of course she was a healer.**

 **Daryl stopped at the stop sign to the street he lived on and reached back to rub the side of her leg. She reached her hand up to his thigh and he closed his eyes for a minute just enjoying her touch.**

 **He leaned back against her and just let her hug him from behind.**

 **It felt like they knew each other for much longer than they did. There had been something simmering under the surface between them when she was Jake's nurse. He knew that, even if he didn't want to admit it then.**

 **He fought it successfully because he thought she was married.**

 **But she wasn't.**

 **He pulled into the parking lot and kicked the kickstand down. Molly watched him as he took off his helmet and she took off hers.**

 **It all boiled over the night before and somehow she wasn't even scared like she usually was. She had a past and in it was a man who scared her.**

 **He hadn't ruined the joy of being on a bike though, even though he was the person she rode with after her father died.**

 **Getting on the bike with Daryl was a test for her, to see if the bad memories had ruined it. Either it hadn't or** _this man was special._ **  
** **  
There was some kind of fire between them. When she looked at him and he met her eyes it burned there.**

 **They were kindred souls. She was sure of it. He was so frank with her about his past, honest and open. She had been looking for someone like that her whole life. An honest man.**

 **He knew he had dodged a bullet with the drugs. The bullet that hit her sister and he would always understand her because of that. He wouldn't use either because she couldn't be around that, for a lot of reasons.**

 **Her ex used drugs and that was why she was giving Daryl the third degree over his past. She had to know, because she would have ended it right there. She didn't need some crack addict jeopardizing her career or using her for a punching bag.**

 **Charlie hit her once, she hit him back and then she left. That was the other reason she came to live with Tara and Alisha.**

 **"** **Ok, lets drop that off and take off for the lake, sound good?" Daryl asked as they were walking towards his building.**

 **"** **Groovy." She replied taking his hand.**

 **"** **Groovy, huh?"**

 **"** **Yup." She said nodding her head as they walked towards the building.**

 **"** **Dinner later?"**

 **"** **Absolutely." She said as they got to the door of his apartment.**

 **"** **You like barbeque, my buddies Tyreese and T-dog run the best in town."**

 **"** **Tara took me there, and yes, yes yes to that." She said as he opened the door and tossed the book onto the couch.**

 **"** **I'm not inviting you in because we won't ever leave the house if we go inside now."**

 **"** **Right, cause I'm a sure thing?" She said laughing.**

 **"** **So am I, for once I'm on the same page as somebody, its fucking great." He said shutting the door and taking her hand to lead her down the stairs to the bike.**

 **/**

 **They rode around town for part of the day on the bike together and then they went to the quarry. It was as beautiful as he had told her.**

 **Like two teenagers on their first date they sat together under a tree looking out at the crystal blue water holding hands and talking. She told him more about Claudia and about Charlie, her ex, who was a doctor that wrote prescriptions to himself.**

 **She told him about Charlie slapping her for flushing his OxyContin down the toilet the day she left. He accused her of trying to kill him with withdrawal. He accused her of a lot of things that last year they were together and she knew he would take her right down to hell with him if she didn't leave.**

 **"** **But you don't die from that." Daryl said. "Unless its alcohol or benzos, it sucks a lot, but you don't die. You were trying to help."**

 **"** **It was a year or so after Claudia, he knew what drugs did to her and he did it anyway." Molly whispered.**

 **"** **Cause that's what we do Molly, he was probably using way before that, hiding it from you. That wasn't your fault, we're good liars when we wanna be." He said.**

 **"** **I know. Believe me I know." She replied.**

 **The air was suddenly too thick for him to breathe. He was honest, always, that was how he had to live life now. But he had just said a mouthful.**

 **Even if he thought about it before he said it he would have still said the same thing because it was the truth. Drug addicts were liars, it was the truth and she knew it was.**

 **"** **Molly?" He turned to her. "With all your history, your sister and this guy Charlie, why are you taking a chance on me?"**

 **She turned and faced him, making sure they were face to face.**

 **He looked at her green, beautiful eyes hoping he hadn't brought her to her senses because he was in deep already.**

 **She climbed over onto his lap so she was facing him. "I can't not take a chance on you."**

 **She leaned over and kissed him wrapping her arms around him and he wrapped his arms around her.**

 **"** **You won't be sorry, neither one of us is gonna be sorry about this."**

 **"** **I know that." She replied.**

 **"** **I'm sorry you've been so hurt."**

 **She shook her head. "I'm fine, I'm sorry…"**

 **He shook his head. "No, no sorrys right? I'm fine too, and I don't mean Fucked up, insecure, neurotic and emotional either."**

 **She smiled a bright smile at him. She knew that saying for fine, and it made her realize just how connected they were, on so many levels.**

 **"** **Although, this Charlie guy, he deserves a beat down for touching you."**

 **"** **Oh, I hit him back."**

 **"** **That's my girl." He pulled her close to him and they sat there that way for a long time that day.**

 **/**

 **Tyreese and T's place was crowded when they arrived and Molly laughed because Tara's car was in the parking lot. There were outdoor tables set up outside and they could see Tara, Alisha and Eugene sitting there at one of the picnic style tables.**

 **She led him over and they were spotted before they got to the table. Tara scooted over so they could sit down and soon Milton was back and sitting down on the other side next to Alisha and Eugene. Daryl knew Eugene and Milton from high school too so the introductions were quick. Molly knew everyone already, including the owner of the restaurant and his wife Karen.**

 **"** **We've got two double orders coming and a shitload of onion rings." Tara said.**

 **"** **I'm gonna go add to it, be right back." Daryl said and kissed Molly quickly. "You like shrimp?"**

 **She nodded and he was off to order more food. Tara elbowed her in her ribs and Molly elbowed her back.**

 **"** **Hey, knock it off." Molly said. "Eugene has she been doing this to you too?'**

 **Eugene rolled his eyes. "All day Molly."**

 **"** **She's a little punchy from lack of sleep." Alisha said. "She got called in last night after you left, they were short in the ER."**

 **"** **I think it's great." Tara replied. "I really do, it's good to see you smile."**

 **"** **Thanks." She grinned because she couldn't help it.**

 **"** **It is good to see you smile Molly, I mean you smiled before but it goes right to your eyes now."**

 **"** **Well, good." Molly replied taking a sip of Alisha's soda. "And you?"**

 **"** **She said he's a good guy, bumpy road, but a good guy." Eugene said.**

 **"** **Tara likes him, I like him." Alisha said, taking her soda back from Molly.**

 **"** **I know all about that." Molly replied.**

 **"** **So you know he was in Jail?" Milton asked. "I'm not judging."**

 **"** **Yes, I know and I also know it was ten years ago and that he's clean. But thanks sweetie."**

 **She kissed Milton on the cheek and then turned and kissed Eugene on the cheek. Daryl returned with the food for every one and they dug in.**

 **Tyreese and his wife Karen stopped by to say hello like they did to all their customers to make sure everyone liked their food.**

 **"** **Our best to T, he outdid himself." Milton said in between bites and Eugene nodded vigorously in agreement his mouth too full to chew.**

 **"** **Just like always." Alisha said.**

 **"** **You are all too kind." Karen said. "Let us know if you need anything ok."**

 **They all nodded and kept eating because it was food to die for.**

 **Molly was sitting opposite Daryl and watching him eat, every few bites he would suck the barbeque sauce off of his fingers and then he noticed her watching. So he decided to give her a little show, when he licked his fingers the next time he locked eyes with her and did it really slowly. He grinned when he saw he squirming in her seat, mission accomplished.**


	10. Chapter 10

**_A/N: Ok I was up at 2 am writing this, woke up out of a dead sleep so its a complete smut show. Please let me know what you think and if you are under 18 you should stay away. Hope you all like._**

She decided to give him some of his own medicine on the way back to her house to pick up some clothes for her. This pizza date was turning into a whole weekend thing, now she was packing a bag. For once in her life Molly was letting something unfold and not letting her brain get all muddled up.

 _The implications of spending a night with a man were hard enough for her, but a weekend? Usually she would be all over the place with worry, fear and anxiety. She put on a good front to the world and wad so secure and confident at work but emotions and physical relationships muddled her up after her ex hit her._

 _She hadn't been with anyone since then, and she told herself when she was, that person would have to be something special._

 _Daryl didn't make her anxious, he made her feel happy and safe. She would not allow herself to worry. He was special, maybe that special person._

 _She wouldn't let herself worry over it._

That was something she used to do a lot and it never got her anywhere. She could over analyze things and drive herself crazy or she could enjoy herself.

She wanted to enjoy herself and for once not let her issues get in her way. He made her feel brave.

Instead of keeping her hands on his waist Molly let them wander farther down and over his thighs. She pressed her cheek against his back and listened to his breathing as it started to become heavier but he wasn't distracted. He was still able to drive the bike.

She would stop if he got too excited.

He smelled so good and his smell made her feel comforted. This relationship was all too weird for her sometimes. _How could a person's smell make you feel safe?_

Then there were all the other feelings floating around her head like the insatiable need to get him in bed again.

He pulled into her apartment parking lot and they were just about to get off the bike and she slid her hand over the front of his jeans. He leaned back against her and let her touch him until she was good and satisfied with herself. Then she got off the bike with a grin on her face, because his dick was straining against his jeans now. He pulled her hand and motioned for her to get back on the bike facing him.

"Whatcha doing Molly." He said running his hands over her hips and pulling her closer to him. She stood up with her feet on the pegs and her belly was in his face. He slid her shirt up and brushed his cheek against her abdomen. The scruff of his beard tickled her and she giggled, which was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard.

"Nothing." She smiled at him, bringing her face closer to his ear. "Just paybacks for the evil finger licking thing at dinner."

He pulled her up so she was on his lap and she wrapped her legs around his waist. Now they were face to face sitting on the bike

"No ones' out here, it's dark and I could fuck you, right here, right this minute." He purred into her ear, bringing his hands up under her shirt, and over the lacy bra she wore.

"I dare you." She brought her lips close to his and kissed him quickly and catching his lip between her teeth as he tried to kiss her back. "But, I have a question."

"Go ahead."

"All those guys are going for ice cream; you ever do it on a waterbed?" She grinned and the dimple on her cheek came out. Just one, he had never seen someone with just one dimple. It was just another thing that made her so unique.

"You have a water bed?"

She nodded.

"Why are we sitting out here then?" He grinned.

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He lay down next to her on the bed and the water rolled underneath them, Molly giggled because clearly he hadn't expected that. It was so obvious he had never been on a water bed before and she liked that fact. It was warm in the room from the heat in the bed and laying on it warmed them immediately.

'You sleep on this thing?" He said trying to sit up and falling backwards. The water under him rocking them back and forth like a raft on the ocean.

"Yes, I do." She laughed. "It was free, come on." She sat up and pulled her shirt over her head. Then she flopped over to him and tugged on his shirt. He finished pulling it over his head and almost got swallowed by the bed again.

He couldn't imagine what this was going to be like, definitely a new and exciting feeling. This girl was full of surprises and made his life an adventure already.

 _He might be in love._

She climbed over on top of him and smiled down unhooking her bra and allowing his hands to move up over her breasts. She closed her eyes and enjoyed his touch feeling the stirring in her belly and throughout her body.

For a long time, she thought there was something wrong with her sexually, but there wasn't. Not if he could bring all of this mischief and naughtiness out of her.

 _Molly the wall flower was no more._

She leaned down and kissed him and rolled back off of him, causing more ripples in the bad. He tried to steady himself and she just smiled and kissed his cheek.

"There's no way to stop it Daryl." She laughed and then breathed into his ear. _"_ _Just go with it."_

He felt all the hairs on his arms, legs and neck stand on edge as he watched her. _Just go with it._

She reached down and unbuckled his pants, pulling them all the way down and discarding them on the floor with her bra and their shirts.

Daryl felt the warmth from the heated bed on his skin and closed his eyes. His dick was hard and aching and he wanted her so desperately. He reached for her pants and she shook her head, grinning at him.

He watched her as she took ahold of his dick and licked him from the base to the tip so excruciating slow that he was sure he'd loose his mind. He let out a groan and let his eyes close as his head fell back against the pillow.

The bed was warm and every time she moved the waves underneath him made him feel like he was floating.

It was the oddest relaxing yet most erotic feeling he had ever felt. She took her time and every lick and stroke was torture enough without the motion of the bed.

Daryl opened his eyes just as Molly was sliding his dick through her lips and taking him all the way into her mouth. Her mouth was hot and wet and the floating feeling under him was wreaking havoc with all his senses.

His head was swimming with thoughts of her and his passion addled brain could do nothing but let him respond to her.

She knew it too, he could tell because she was smiling up at him and then she started to hum softly. She pushed down on the bed making it ripple and his body float. He looked at her under lust hooded eyes and tried to reach for her but she was too far, he could just get to her head. He plunged his hands into her hair and let out a groan.

She moved him in and out of her mouth just enough and then back in all the way applying just enough suction to make him loose his mind. His hands massaged her head softly and then he had to take them out and grip the sheets next to his body.

His hips moved in time with her mouth, and the bed kept rocking faster as they moved. Daryl felt like he died and went to some weird floating heaven.

There wasn't one sensation that he wasn't feeling, his body was floating and she was sucking his dick like an expert. It was almost too much.

Molly stopped long enough to lick her hand and make sure he saw it, giggling s little bit when she saw his eyes roll back into his head and then she had her hand on him at the base. He lips and mouth back on him without hesitation, and he was not going to be able to hold on much longer.

The burning in his gut started and the tingling throughout his while body, he tried to lift her head up but she wasn't moving.

"Molly, I'm gonna come." He gasped out. "Goddam." His head moving from side to side, his hips bucking and roughly gripping the sheets next to him. "Sweetheart come up here." He reached for her head but she wasn't moving.

Molly applied more suction until he was screaming and his entire body was convulsing making the bed ripple underneath him.

"Oh my god, oh fuck, fuck, fuck, Molly." He screamed as he came harder than ever before. He pulled her up into the crook of his arm and kissed the top of her head.

"Jesus, you trying to kill me?" He said finally after his breathing came back to normal.

She laughed that merry laugh that went straight to his heart and hugged him tight.

"Oh no you don't." He said rolling over on top of her. She opened her legs so he was laying between them and he held her hands over her head as he kissed her.

"My turn now." He kissed down her neck and bit her collarbone. She let out a sound so sweet to his ears and it was on.

He brought her arms down to her sides and still held them.

"You ok, this scare you." He kissed down her neck.

"I'm fine." She breathed out delighting in how excited he made her. She could feel her body catching on fire as he kissed his way down her chest to her breasts.

He licked one nipple then the other still holding her hands down at her sides. He licked and sucked one then the other as she squirmed under him. She responded to him like no one ever had before and he loved that she wasn't quiet about it.

She was a screamer and a moaner which turned him on like nothing else.

He slid his tongue over her nipples slowly making them wet and hard and then blew hot air across them one after the other until her hips were bucking and she was begging for more.

"Daryl, I need…please."

He licked slowly down her stomach. "What do you need. Sweetheart?"

Daryl released her hands and started unbuttoning her jeans, pulling them down her legs and over her feet. She still had her underwear on and he slid back up to look at her. He reached under the waist band of her underwear, tugging on them and grinned at her.

"Can I take these off?"

"If you don't I'm going to fucking kill you." She gasped out.

He slid them down he legs and brought her knees apart.

"That's so nice sweetheart." He sighed as he brought both hands over her thighs and finally where she wanted them to be. He had either thumb on the outside to spread her wide. He slowly swiped his thumb over her bundle of nerves in the center and watched her hips rise up and listened as she groaned loudly. His fingers slid against her and he could tell she was so close.

"You like that?"

"Yes." She gasped out.

He stopped and went back to sliding his fingers along each side and he felt the tension leave her body as she sighed in frustration. He didn't leave her like that for long, just long enough that when he touched her again her legs started to tremble.

"Fuck." She breathed out and arched her back off the bed. She could feel it coming fast now, but he was touching her so slowly, it was just out of her reach.

She was so wet and he couldn't wait to taste her again. He met her eyes and watched her breathing increase as he touched her so slowly. He was hard again and dying to fuck her, but not yet.

He leaned down and licked her with the flat of his tongue, stopping just in the right spot and stayed there until she was screaming so loud it made Pretty Boy in the next room start squawking. She laughed at that briefly as she pulled him closer to her and rolled them over so that she was on top of him.

She looked down at him and ran her hands over his chest while she slid down on his dick. The bed rocked under them she put her hands against the wall above their heads and ground her hips into him.

He closed his eyes for a minute _there was nothing quite like the feeling of floating while you were getting fucked._

He brought his hands up to her hips and rocked his hips into hers as the water under them made waves ripple under them.

"Oh god fuck me baby, fuck me." He moaned out softly.

"Give it to me." She breathed out. "Give me all of it."

Daryl could usually hold out much longer, especially the second time, but this was like a freight train coming right at him. The bed and her words were too much for him. He could do little else but pull her down on top of him and let completely go.

They lay there, with her on top of him as the rocking of the bed slowed. Both of their bodies wracked with aftershocks, neither of them could move. They were both sweating and he pushed the hair out of her face and his own and kissed her sweetly.

"That was wild." He breathed out when he could talk again and she nodded. He looked over at the nightstand as he held her close. There was a picture of Molly and Claudia he could only tell them apart by which arm the tattoos were on. They truly were identical, he supposed Molly felt the loss every day and didn't need a picture to remind her so he kept his observation to himself and held her tight.

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Later on Molly packed her back pack and they headed down the hall to the front door, she stopped to give Pretty Boy fresh water and seed. Then she fed him a cracker and blew kisses to him as Daryl grabbed her back pack off the chair.

"Bye bye Pretty Boy." She called as she headed for the door. She locked the door and walked out first as Daryl pulled the door shut he heard a distinct "Fuck you" Come from the bird cage.


	11. Chapter 11

Molly didn't hear it again and Daryl just laughed to himself as he walked down the steps. That bird did not like him one bit and he thought it was hilarious. There was a time when he worried incessantly about what others thought but those days were gone forever. The bird could hate him and anyone else could as long as Molly liked him.

She was all that mattered now, all of the sudden. Merle was going to have a laugh about this. Daryl had finally fallen in love.

Meeting Molly had changed him somehow and he struggled to put a finger on it. He had liked her right away when she was Jacob's nurse and he had already in the span of just a few days told her almost everything about him. It was different somehow, then with anyone else, it was like he had been looking for her his whole life.

That was love, the way people always said it was and he had thought drugs had taken that ability away from him forever. When you're high and damaging your brain that way, it takes things away that people don't realize, like emotions and the ability to bond with others.

Daryl had thought that happened to him, because he just didn't care about anyone but his brother and father. It turned out he was wrong, he wasn't damaged goods, he could love another person.

He knew her too now. She had been very frank about her sister and the guy that hit her. She had already been involved with a drug addict and she was willing to take a chance on him, he would never let her down. Molly had faith in him and he wondered how she knew he was a good man. Most men that used weren't, even after they got clean, the lifestyle changed even the best of the best.

Molly knew that, but she also saw something in him that he didn't see in himself.

She had watched him care for his father all those months and he knew her nurse's heart loved that side of him. There was more to him that he wanted her to see, for the first time he wanted to let someone in and allow them to know him completely.

For all his life he felt like he was missing something and as he watched her walking in front of him, he was sure he had found it.

He never wanted to let her go, he knew what this was as it creeped over his heart and soul and took his breath away. She was his person.

She was missing something too, that he could never give back to her, but he would try and make her happy, for as long as she would have him. She would never have sadness as long as he was around, she would never cry again.

Molly turned around and smiled at him and he made a promise to himself that she would always have a reason smile with him.

/

As they rode along Molly held tight to him and lay her face against his back. She breathed him in and felt again that his scent made her feel safe and happy. She hadn't felt this way since before Charlie came into her life and tore it all up. Since before Claudia died, she knew she had been sleepwalking through life and throwing everything she had into her work. She was a woman though and she longed to connect with someone other than her girlfriends.

It had been such a long time since she held someone's hand, had been kissed. Molly had forgotten how nice it was, to be wanted and desired. To want someone, the way she wanted him, it had never been this way with Charlie, not even in the beginning.

She felt things that she hadn't felt in such a long time and it was both scary and familiar, exciting and terrifying in equal measure. She was along for more than just this ride on his bike with him and she hoped like hell that it would last.

They stopped at a coffee house that was far off the main road and she didn't know of it. He had said they skipped dessert before and this place had the best tiramisu that he had ever had. He led her through the door, by the hand and the place was dark and lit by small lights and candles. Daryl always held her hand when they were together, and Molly loved that.

"This reminds me of the place Tara and I lived in during college, the apartment was above this place called the Inkwell." She said as they sat down in a booth in the back. "It was noisy as hell on the weekend between the bands and poetry readings and all kinds of stuff."

"I love this place, best coffee in town."

"Drink up, you might need the caffeine later." She grinned what she hoped was a wicked grin that would seduce him again.

Daryl reached for her hand as the waitress came over and took their order. They ordered two coffees and tiramisu to split and he started talking. He wasn't going to stop until he told her what was in his heart and mind, it was like he couldn't hold it inside himself.

"This is more for me Molly; I think you know that."

"Well, you did take me to meet your Dad." She said smiling, but then she saw how serious he was. This was not a fling, not for either of them. "I know, for me too."

"Seriously, I think we've both been through the ringer and I wanna be honest right from the jump." He said. "It's why I didn't try anything with you that first day."

"Oh at the car place, when I threw myself at you?" She laughed, remembering how she tried to be all sexy and wrote her number in his hand and then kissed it. "Its ok, I got you the next day." She laughed.

"I didn't want to wreak it, because…"

He stopped and looked directly into her eyes.

"I could marry you." He said. "I want…" Then he stopped and looked at her. He saw the tears welling in her eyes. "No, don't cry, it's too soon, I know, I'm sorry, don't be scared." He said reaching for her hands.

"Yes." She squeaked out and looked up at him. People would say it was too soon and they would say they didn't really know each other but they did.

She took care of his father for months and Daryl had always been there. She knew his heart and he knew hers. They knew each other and they knew each other enough to know that they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together.

The end

Thank you to everyone who left me love on this story. It isn't over, I will revisit them like I did with Daryl and Stephanie in "Transference" And "Sometimes love isn't enough" There's more to their story. Thanks again and please let me know what you think xxxxx Krissy


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